15 Charlotte Events & Happenings: October 2016

From hot air balloons to Halloween haunts, there’s so much going on around Charlotte this month that our biggest concern is finding enough time to enjoy all of these October events. We picked out 15 that we think are tops in an effort to help you hone in on the best ways to spend your time. Enjoy!

Charlotte Events: October 2016

October 1, 2016: Great Grapes! Wine, Arts and Food Festival

Sip and stroll around Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall during the Great Grapes! Wine and Food Festival where more than 20 North Carolina wineries will have samples for guests to enjoy. Pack a blanket or chairs and enjoy the afternoon. There also will be live music, arts and crafts plus plenty of goodies to eat. Festivities begin at 12 p.m. and run through 7 p.m. Admission starts at $29. For more information visit uncorkthefun.com.

October 1 – 31, 2016: Carolina History and Haunts Walking Tour

See a darker side of the Queen City just in time for Halloween on this 90-minute walking tour. Guests will hear about the city’s most terrifying tales and visit several sites rumored to be haunted. The tour is offered on a nightly basis with varying times available. Groups will depart from Hearst Tower located at 214 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children. For more information, visit carolinahistoryandhaunts.com.

October 4, 2016: Fighting for Women with Fashion Event

Help support the fight against domestic violence at the sixth annual Fighting for Women with Fashion event. A Dillard’s fashion show featuring local Charlotte attorneys and physicians takes center stage, while the night’s silent auction is full of great prizes — including a trip to NYC’s Broadway. Guests also will enjoy wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres. (Proceeds will benefit current programs at The Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence Shelter.) Grab your girlfriends and enjoy a night out for a good cause at the Design Center Atrium located at 1930 Camden Road, Charlotte, NC 28203. Tickets are $75 and the event runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Click here for more information.

October 6, 2016: Down the Great Whiskey Road

Enjoy a night full of whiskey and history during the Down the Whiskey Road event at the President James K. Polk State Historic Site located at 12031 Lancaster Hwy., Pineville, NC 28134. For $35, you can try a variety of samples from Charlotte’s Great Wagon Distillery and learn about their distilling process. The exclusive tasting takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visit jamespolk.net to purchase tickets.

October 7 – 9, 2016: U.S. National Whitewater Center Fall Finale

Colder weather is on its way and what better way is there to celebrate than being outdoors sipping cider? Join the U.S. National Whitewater Center as they say goodbye to summer and welcome the new season during their seventh annual Fall Finale. The three-day event will include cider samplings, live music and an outdoor movie series. No ticket necessary to enjoy the live music; parking is $5. Visit usnwc.org for the entire schedule.

October 8, 2016: Beer Walk: Best Beers in the Carolinas

Explore the beauty of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden while sampling craft beer from more than a dozen North Carolina breweries during the second annual Beer Walk. There will be live music, a food truck and several Charlotte breweries onsite, including Lenny Boy Brewing and Birdsong Brewing. The Beer Walk takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and costs $30 per person. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden is located at 6500 S. New Hope Road, Belmont, NC 28012. To purchase tickets, click here.

October 15, 2016: South End Wine Festival

Can’t make it to the Great Grapes! Wine and Food Festival earlier in the month? Here’s another great option to check out. Enjoy unlimited samples from more than 25 wineries from all over the world in one place at the South End Wine Festival! With wine from North Carolina and California to Argentina and France, there’s sure to be something you’ll like. Tickets are $35 and proceeds help support Classroom Central — a charity dedicated to providing school supplies for children in poverty. The wine festival is at 308 W. Carson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203 and runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit southendwinefest.org.

October 15, 2016: The Feast of the Hunter’s Moon Antebellum Dinner

You won’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind event at Historic Rosedale Plantation located at 3427 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28206. The Feast of the Hunter’s Moon Antebellum Dinner is a six-course, farm-to-table, candle-lit dinner and the only dinner ever allowed in the historic home built in 1815. It celebrates the Native American tradition of stockpiling food for the upcoming winter during the full moon closest to the Harvest moon. Reservations are $165 per person or $325 per couple. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. Visit historicrosedale.org to learn more.

Join Leroy Fox for a specialty menu and cocktail pairings dedicated to all things fall! Dishes include butternut squash soup and apple roasted beef tenderloin. The night will also feature fall-inspired cocktails specially designed by Leroy Fox’s in-house mixologist who will teach guests how to recreate them. Join in on the fun and then show off your cocktail-making skills at your next autumn party! Leroy Fox is located at 705 S. Sharon Amity Road, Charlotte, NC 28211. Tickets are $35 and you can purchase them here.

October 21 – 23, 2016: Carolina Balloon Fest

If there’s a North Carolina event that is a MUST, it’s the Carolina Balloon Fest in Statesville. For three days, hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes color the sky. It’s a sight you’ve likely never seen! Don’t be surprised to see Yoda, Darth Vader — or even the Wicked Witch of the West — floating by! Balloons launch twice a day, depending on the wind, but there’s plenty to do in-between, including wine and craft beer tastings, tethered balloon rides, a pilot meet-and-greet and so much more. Pack up chairs or a blanket and plan to spend the entire day having fun. You won’t want to miss the Saturday night Balloon Glow, where all the balloons light up the night at the same time! Go to carolinaballoonfest.com for daily ticket prices and parking information. The balloon fest is located at 260 Hangar Dr., Statesville, NC 28677.

October 22, 2016: Huntersville Halloween at Rural Hill

Find fall fun for the entire family at Historic Rural Hill. Celebrate Halloween from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with children’s games, arts and crafts, face painting and even a costume contest! You also can enjoy the pumpkin patch and hayride around the farm for $3 per person. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs and enjoy a picnic on the property. Admission to the event is free. For more information, visit ruralhill.net. Rural Hill is located at 4431 Neck Road, Huntersville, NC 28078.

October 22, 2016: GUTS, Creatives Carving Wishes

Nothing like a little friendly pumpkin-carving competition — especially when it’s for a good cause! Go cheer on local creatives as they carve away at the eighth annual GUTS competition benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. At GUTS, you’ll see pumpkins carved into everything from hamburgers to Hugo the Hornet — or whatever teams can create in 90 minutes! Guests will even get the chance to vote for their favorite pumpkin in the “People’s Choice” category. There’s seriously nothing else like it in the city. This year, the competition takes place Uptown at BB&T Ballpark and opens to the public at 2 p.m. For more information visit gutscharlotte.com. BB&T Ballpark is located at 324 S. Mint St., Charlotte, NC 28202.

October 22, 2016: Lexington Barbecue Festival

Plan to pig out at the 33rd annual Lexington Barbecue Festival. The popular event draws people from all over the South and it’s no wonder with plenty of famous Lexington-style barbecue, carnival games, pig races, a wine garden and seven entertainment stages. The Southeast Tourism Society has named it one of the Top 20 Events for October, so don’t miss out! Admission is free and festivities go from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m at One N. Main St., Lexington, NC 27292. For more information visit barbecuefestival.com.

October 23, 2016: Dilworth South End Chili Cook-off

Put on your stretchy clothes for the 7th Annual Dilworth South End Chili Cook-off. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can eat all the chili you can handle from local restaurants and other competitors at Atherton Mill located at 2100 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203. The day will be full of fun activities for the whole family, including pumpkin painting, live music, corn hole tournament and a raffle. Local mascots Sir Purr and Chubby Checker also will make the rounds. Admission is $10 and kids are free. For more information, visit dsechillicookoff.org.

October 29, 2016: All Hallow’s Eve Family Day

Dress the kids up in their best costumes and head to Historic Latta Plantation to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., kids safely can trick-or-treat around the plantation and compete in an exciting costume contest with categories like best historical character, best classical storybook character, best farm animal costume and the most creative costume. Tickets are $8 and children under 5 are free. Latta is located at 5225 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC 28078. For more information, visit lattaplantation.org.

October 29, 2016: Grave Digger’s Ball

Ghosts, goblins and vampires, you’ll see them all at Charlotte’s biggest Halloween celebration, the Grave Digger’s Ball. The goulish event gives grown-ups a fun night out wearing their favorite costumes instead of trick-or-treating! There’s also a chance to win $1,000 in the Best Costume contest. General admission tickets are $15. Ball kicks off at 514 N. College St., Charlotte, NC 28202.

With all that’s happening in and around Charlotte this month, there’s no reason to get bored. Go out and enjoy!